Derek Hagar Prevails in Traffic for Victory in the Hockett/McMillin Memorial

(Photo Credit: Joe Orth)

WHEATLAND, Mo. (September 27, 2014) - The fourth running of the Jesse Hockett / Daniel McMillin Memorial found a first time winner at the Lucas Oil Speedway as Derek Hagar grabbed the lead from Jeff Swindell in slower traffic for his second Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series National Tour victory of 2014.

"This means a lot," commented Derek before taking a pause to gain his composure. "Me and Jesse were team mates the year that he passed away at Manzanita in the Silver Crown cars, and at Indianapolis at the mile. That was the only time I ever heard Jesse say he was scared of the racecar was at the Indy mile. I had to look at him twice like, ''Did you just say that Jesse?'' He goes, ''Man, you guys are rolling these things into the corner. I'm used to throwing her in there, not driving her straight in wide open" but I know Jesse will always be with me, we were pretty good buds, and I'm glad this trophy is going in the house on the fireplace."

Coming from fifth Hagar jumped to third on the start. Chasing Wayne Johnson in the opening laps for second, the pair exchanged slide jobs while tracking down Jeff Swindell before hooking bumpers on the exit of turn two; sending the No. 77 of Johnson into the wall and into the Pits. Johnson was unharmed and was scored twenty-second.

Single file to the green, Swindell and Hagar both worked topside with the pair finding traffic by Lap 18. Vacating the highline in traffic, the pair began working top and bottom. Saddled on the low line in turns one and two, Swindell sat trapped by traffic as the cushion cleared for Hagar. At the right place at the right time, Hagar stuck the cushion for the lead down the back straight-a-way on Lap 24.

"Sometimes it's better to be sitting in the catbird seat watching the track change and being able to move around a little bit," commented Swindell of the runner up finish. "I changed the car a little bit from last night. I was kind of halfway between where I was going to be later tonight until they did the re-work, so I kind of guessed at that and had a great car on the bottom in the beginning - we just got caught in traffic and it shut us down."

Sam Hafertepe, Jr. claimed his second bronze finish in as many nights. Pleased with the overall weekend, Hafertepe was a little down on the finish, "We dropped way back, but we had a great racecar though. Congrats to Derek, he did a hell of a job but like I said, we just got moved back there at the beginning. We had a good enough car, I just used up my tires trying to get back through there but that's how racing goes sometimes."

After taking a provisional into Friday's A-Feature, Tony Bruce, Jr. raced to a fourth place finish after starting seventh. Eighth starting Johnny Herrera completed the top five.

Jason Johnson crossed sixth with Brian Brown seventh. Tim Crawley ended his weekend in eighth with Jack Dover from eleventh, and Seth Bergman from seventeenth to complete the top ten.

A total of 50 drivers took part in the fourth annual Jesse Hockett / Daniel McMillin Memorial. Entries numbering 45 took part in Saturday's program with five Heat Races going to Brian Brown, Miranda Arnold, Derek Hagar, Blake Hahn, and Evan Martin. A pair of B-Features went to Seth Bergman and Dusty Zomer.

Matt Covington used his final full-point provisional of the season to make the A-Feature.

Brad Loyet brought out the caution on Lap 27. Going to the work area, Loyet came back for a sixteenth place finish and a 62 point advantage over Jason Johnson. Johnny Herrera trails the runner-up spot by 10 points with Sam Hafertepe, Jr. and Jeff Swindell tied for fourth only 74 points back from Loyet.

The final point's night for the Speedway Motors Warrior Region, Jonathan Cornell secured the 2014 title.

The Lucas Oil ASCS presented by MAVTV American Real competes next at the 41st Devil's Bowl Winter Nationals on Friday, October 17 and Saturday, October 18. More information can be found at http://www.devilsbowl.com.

The 2014 season marks the twenty-third year of sanctioning Sprint Car racing for the American Sprint Car Series, which brings the best of Sprint Car racing to dozens of different tracks throughout the nation. Anchored by the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series, ASCS also consists of ten different Regions throughout the nation.

Lucas Oil Products is the title sponsor of the American Sprint Car Series. More information can be found on Lucas Oil Products at www.lucasoil.com. MAVTV is the presenting sponsor of the American Sprint Car Series. Log onto www.mavtv.com for information regarding availability and listings in your area.

Associate sponsors for the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by MAVTV include: Hoosier Racing Tire and Brodix.

Additional information regarding the American Sprint Car Series is available at www.ascsracing.com as well as Twitter (@LucasOilASCS) and Facebook. News and information can also be sent to you with the ASCS E-News by texting ASCS to 22828 with any mobile device.